The Seven Swords
by Greatkingrat88
Summary: Medieval AU. Ichigo, a poor boy, has his life changed forever when he comes across the war hero Zaraki Kenpachi. Travelling, learning from his example, can Ichigo become the kind of man that could look his father in the eye? Could Kenpachi be more than just a butcher? And will Aizen Sousuke usurp the Land of Rice and Swords? Civil war looms, and questions will be answered.
1. Chapter 1

This wasn't going well.

Ichigo cursed under his breath as he struggled against the ropes binding his arms- as quietly as possible, because the bandits who had taken him were just a few feet away. It had seemed so stupidly simple- just get away from the castle for a few hours, go for a swim, maybe try fishing, and dodge the quartermaster when he got back. The castle had been oppressive, and fifteen year old Kurosaki Ichigo was at a point in his life where boring chores in a boring castle were less and less appealing.

What he wouldn't give to be bored right now.

He'd gone for that swim, tried and failed at fishing, slowly walked back- and tripped right over a bandit camp. And here he was, tied down and at the mercy of seven evil-minded cut-throats. It was shocking- normally, bandits never dared come this close to the castle. The Daimyo, Kuchiki Ginrei-sama, had no tolerance whatsoever for violent crime- hanging was considered the merciful option, compared to being drawn and quartered and _then_ hanged, for all to see as a warning.

But here they were, brazenly eating fish roasted over a fire, all kinds of cheap loot hanging from bags. Scum, Ichigo thought, pure scum- there were farming tools, crops, little bronze coins like the kind a farmer might have. They'd raided from people who couldn't defend themselves, and they were sitting there, shamelessly filling their bellies...

"Gotta say, boss," one of them said, gulping down a fish, head and all, "good call, comin' here. How'd ya know it was safe?"

"Ol' Lord Ginrei sends his samurai up on exercises every month." Said an ugly bandit with his hair tied up, quite messily, and a scar on his cheek. "He don't like 'em sitting idle. And when there's no war on, there's a lotta idlin' to be had. So he sends them away- 'cept a few, which get sent to a guard the villages, up north, to the east, and to the northwest. Meanin' that if you're not north, east or northwest, there ain't a samurai around for miles." He grinned.

"Just gotta be outta here before the week ends." Another bandit piped in. "We got some good pickings, but it ain't worth dying for."

"Calm yer tits." The leader said. "We'll be long gone before anyone can find us. The forests are big, lotsa space to hide in."

"Well, 'cept this one." A skinny bandit said, nodding to Ichigo. "He done seen us- why ain't we killed him yet?"

"Might be worth something." The leader said, shrugging. "I know some places what would pay good money for a healthy boy his age.

"I don't like 'im." The skinny bandit said, standing up and approaching Ichigo. "He's givin' us a right mean look- this one's got fight in 'im to be sure. More trouble 'n he's worth, I tell you."

The leader laughed. "Then whyn't you get rid of him? You're cleanin' up the mess, though."

The skinny man didn't say anything else, just pulling out a shiv. Ichigo's eyes widened- oh _shit_. The man stepped forward, and Ichigo, realizing he had just one shot at this, kept still just until the right moment- and then, as the bandit stepped forward with the blade in his hand, Ichigo's foot shot out, connecting solidly with the bandit's gonads. The man let out a high pitched squeal, sunk to his knees, and went into a fetal position.

Desperate and afraid, Ichigo got to his feet, and started running. Maybe- maybe if he could get off the road, into the forest, maybe he could lose them-

But he got only ten or so meters before a strong hand grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around and socking him in the jaw. Ichigo fell over, his head spinning.

"Oh, he had fight in him all right." The boss said, laughing. He was the one who had caught him now, the one who had knocked him over. "Tell you what, boy- join us, and we'll let you live. We could use some fresh blood."

"Fuck you!" Ichigo spat, without even thinking.

"Suit yourself." The boss said, shrugging, and raising his sword.

"Oi, boss!" Another bandit cried, and the boss stopped himself. Ichigo took a deep breath of relief.

Up the path, he could see what looked like three travelers, and the bandits were facing them. His luck was somebody else's misfortune- but at least he wasn't dead.

"Keep an eye on him." The boss said, gesturing towards Ichigo with his sword. One of the other bandits walked over, giving Ichigo a mean look.

Stuck as he was, for now, Ichigo looked at the three new arrivals. One was bald, carrying a _naginata_ spear, and the man next to him was a pretty-boy with long-ish black hair hanging free. The both of them wore simple kimono, although with colour to it- green and pink respectively. The one that stood out, though, was the man in the front. He was a head taller than either one of his companions, wore a black kimono- opened, with his chest partly covered in wrappings- that looked like it had seen its share of wear and tear, and at his side he carried a huge sword. His face was grim- a long scar ran vertically over his right eye and down his cheek, and his hair was long, black and completely unkempt, as if the notion of tying your hair up was an insult.

"Well, well!" The boss began, sounding smug. "Looks like we got some company, boys!"

The bandits laughed, the typical kind of laugh that people laughed because they knew it was expected of them.

"See, I am Kanabe." The boss said. "And this road right here is mine. I'm a toll collector."

"Right." The tall man with the scar said.

"And if you want to pass, you gotta pay. All you own would be a good start."

"You kiddin' me?" The scar-face said, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

"Want me to handle this one, boss?" The bald man said.

"Nah, I got it." The scar-face said, slowly drawing his sword. It was long, but thinner than Ichigo had expected, and its blade was full of nicks and scratches. It was a very worn sword, the kind you knew had been used for sword purposes.

"So, Kanabe, was it?" Scar-face said, stepping forward with sword in hand. "You know, I love a good fight- but I'm in a good mood. So if you and your chickenshit gang of small-fries wanna run off, now's your chance." He had a mean look in his eye, genuinely menacing, but Ichigo was sure it had to be an act- he was one against seven. There was no way that would work. Right?

"Money or your life." Kanabe said stubbornly, holding up his own sword.

"Your funeral." Scar-face said, shrugging. "Let me just tell you one thing, though, 'cause I believe people deserve to know who's about to kill 'em. I'm Zaraki Kenpachi." He scratched his head. "And that's about it, yeah."

Kanabe threw back his head and laughed. "Zaraki Kenpachi! You're a real funny one, ain't you? The butcher of Katagahara, the hundred man slayer? Ha! That's a fairy tale for superstitious soldiers who ain't got nothing better to do than gossip!"

"Zat so." The scar-face said.

"Yeah, it is- so fork over your shit, or-"

Faster than Ichigo could follow, the scar-face- Kenpachi- had moved forward, slamming his sword down on Kanabe. The bandit leader barely blocked, but the force of Kenpachi's blows were massive, each one forcing him back. He blocked twice, three times- but the fourth times, the sword slipped from his hands, knocked right out of his grip.

"No-" Kanabe began, but Kenpachi stepped forward, ruthlessly sliding his blade through the bandit's midsection. A grim look on his face, he lifted the bandit up, his body hanging off the sword itself.

"How's it feel to be killed by a fairy tale?" Kenpachi said, flinging his sword downward. Kanabe went to the ground, blood spraying on the ground as he lay there in his death throes.

The six remaining bandits looked at each other, seeming uncertain. One of them wildly charged at Kenpachi, and two more followed. What came next took Ichigo a little while to process; it was all so fast. In the blink of an eye, Kenpachi had completely sidestepped the first bandit, bypassed the guard of another and run his blade into the man's skull, and with a quick step forward he grabbed the third man's wrist. The bandit couldn't use his sword, desperately struggling to break free- but before he could do anything, Kenpachi had cut him from shoulder to hip. And then, he spun around to face his first attacker, dodging a wide swing, before neatly cutting his head off with a vicious sideways cut.

It took just a couple of seconds for it all to happen- and now, there was blood spilling all across the road. The three remaining bandits took a quick look at the carnage, fear in their eyes, and turned tail and ran.

"Fuckin' amateurs." Kenpachi sneered.

Ichigo sat there on the road, quite breathless. Zaraki Kenpachi was a name most anyone had heard- the man who slayed a hundred men at Katagahara, who had turned the tide of battle singlehandedly and won the battle for Shogun Yamamoto, against the foul traitors of house Namikaze...

And he was right here? Well, he looked the part at least, although the tales said he was twelve feet tall and breathed fire...

"Oi, there's one left." The bald one said, walking up, casually pointing at Ichigo with his spear. "Whaddawe do with this one?"

"I'm not a bandit!" Ichigo exclaimed with the speed of a man very keen not to be murdered. "I swear! They captured me! They were gonna save me into slavery!"

"You _would_ say that." The bald man said, kneeling down, holding the spear's point at Ichigo's face. "How do we know you ain't one of 'em?"

"Ikkaku, stop fuckin' around." Kenpachi grumbled. "Get the head of that piece of shit I just skewered- if he's ballsy enough to rob lands this near a castle, there might be a bounty on him. Just gotta find us a village."

"Got it, boss." The bald one- Ikkaku- said, standing up and walking towards Kanabe's corpse. "Still, this kid..."

"Well, he clearly isn't a bandit." Said the pretty-boy. "Look at him- simple, grey kimono, and he has his hands tied. He's probably a servant boy."

"That's right!" Ichigo nodded furiously.

"Sit up." The man said. "I am Ayasegawa Yumichika." He took out a knife, and Ichigo's eyes widened. Yumichika sighed.

"I can't very well cut you loose with my fingernails, now can I? Sit up, and sit still."

Obeying, Ichigo sat perfectly still as Yumichika cut the ropes holding him. He rubbed his wrists, and got up to his feet. He looked around him, seeing the scene of utter carnage that this forest road had turned into- four dead bodies worth of blood, three men acting like this was an everyday occurrence- and most disturbingly of all, a girl who could be no older than eight casually stepping through the blood, cheerfully looking at Kenpachi.

"That's Yachiru." Yumichika said, seeing Ichigo's puzzled- and somewhat revolted- look. "He picked her up somewhere on the road, and wherever he goes, so does she."

"But..." Ichigo said. Finding himself unable to think of anything to say, he looked back. The little girl was next to Kenpachi, and Ikkaku was in the process of hacking off Kanabe's head, with a big, thick knife.

"There we go." He said, sounding satisfied, and with a disgusting sound the last piece of skin, sinew and muscle severed, and Ikkaku held the head by the hair. "You're one ugly fucker, you know that?"

"Put it in a bag and get ready to move." Kenpachi grumbled.

"Um..." Ichigo started, knowing that he'd probably be better off shutting up. "Are you uh, the real Kenpachi?"

Kenpachi gave him a curious look. "Y'know, most commoner boys woulda run off by now. Knowin' what's best for them, not staying around a notorious killer."

Ichigo swallowed, but didn't move. There was silence for a little while.

"Am I the thousand-man slayer who rides a dragon, breathers fire and fucks a hundred women every night?" Kenpachi said, giving a slight chuckle, before spitting. "Pshaw! Don't listen to stories, boy. Those things are full of shit. Mostly."

"But you are..."

"Yer just fulla questions, aren't ya?" He shrugged. "I'm Zaraki Kenpachi. I fought at Katagahara, and I put a couple dozen men in the ground before the day was done. The people in charge reckoned that made me a hero. The people in charge were also assholes, which is why I'm here, wandering the countryside doin' as I please. That answer your question?"

Ichigo nodded slowly.

"Good. Now," he said, turning to his companions, "we're getting' the fuck outta here."

The four of them began walking down the road, leisurely like they hadn't just seen four men die, leaving Ichigo behind.

And here, at the crossroads of fate, Ichigo did something that would change everything forever. He _should_ just run back home, face the wrath of the quartermaster, and get on with life. It would be safe, and maybe he could work hard, reach the place he wanted...

"Wait up!" He cried, running after them. "Wait! I'll show you to the nearest village!" He huffed a little, but caught up.

Kenpachi gave him a look, and a vague gesture.

"Get on with it, then."

"Another one?" Ikkaku asked.

"Be nice, dear." Yumichika said.

"Fifty-eight! Fifty-nine! Sixty! Sixty-one!"

Kuchiki Byakuya brought down his wooden blade over and over. When he had first started practicing, at age six, he had managed only twenty or so swings before it was time for his lessons. Now, almost ten years later, he usually managed three hundred or so, and he was constantly looking to improve his record. His arm muscles gave him that comfortable burn, the kind that hard work brought with it. It gave him some satisfaction- he was a man now, and before long he would succeed his grandfather.

Not that he longed for the day he died at all- Byakuya knew he had much left to learn, that Ginrei-ojiisama's wisdom was something he would not match in a hundred years, but it was reality. This world was harsh, and it was up to people like himself to steer the ignorant peasants, merchants and beggars in the right direction. A lot rested upon his shoulders, and it was his job to live up to expectation.

"Sixty-two! Sixty-three! Sixty-four!"

"Young master, if you please." It was the voice of old man Keijin, family retainer and Byakuya's personal servant.

"I assume you have good reason for interrupting me?" Byakuya said, still bringing his sword up and down, up and down. He was a good servant- but if he had interrupted him without good cause, he had a beating to look forward to.

"Your honourable grandfather requests your presence, young master."

"Sixty-eight! Very well." He sighed, handing the wooden sword to the servant. It was a pity- he had been making good time. Sweating from his exercise, he walked through the castle gardens where he had trained, and into the castle itself, toward his grandfather's working room. It was a beautiful place, as befitted the home of a lord, designed with the niceties of modern architecture as well as the sturdy, powerful designs put into place by their ancestors.

People naturally moved aside as they saw him, as they should. He was the young lord, standing above them all.

His grandfather was sitting in his room, wearing an exquisite green kimono adorned with the crest of their clan, two cranes with wings spread, facing away from each other. He was reading letters, no doubt important tidings from other clans. Byakuya sat down cross-legged across from his grandfather, waiting for him to acknowledge his presence.

His grandfather finished the letter he was reading, rolled it up and put it aside, and looked him in the eye.

"I have received grim tidings from the capital." He started, and if Byakuya hadn't know better, he could have sworn he sounded... weary. "Tumultuous times lie ahead of us- the kind that may even claim my life."

"Do not speak such nonsense, grandfather." Byakuya said dismissively, trying to sound cheerful. "You will rule for many more years, I am sure."

"Silence." The old man said, giving him a glare. "Do not presume to know better than your elders."

Byakuya bowed his head. How foolish of him!

"No, grim times are ahead of us. Winter may come, and not one of just snow and ice. And in times like these, one must consider legacy."

"You mean-"

"You are not yet ready to lead our household." Ginrei-ojiisama said bluntly.

"Grandfather!" Byakuya exclaimed, chagrin overriding his sense of respect.

"You are a pup. An impetuous, ignorant pup with your head full of dreams and words, but you know nothing of the real world. And yet, depending on what providence brings your way, you may be the legal ruler of our clan sooner rather than later. Would that your father were still alive..."

"May he rest in peace." Byakuya mumbled. Sojun, his father, had died in a hunting accident when he was very young; he had little to no memory of him.

"May he rest in peace." Ginrei-ojiisama nodded. "I am sending you out. To the Shiba, I think." Seeing the distraught look on Byakuya's face, he added, "I will hear no objections. You have spent much time swinging a pretend sword, but you've never been outside our lands-"

"Surely you jest, grandfather!" Byakuya said indignantly. "I have visited the capital several times, and the Shihoin grounds too, and the Kyoraku and the-"

"You have seen nothing of consequence!" The old man sneered. "And it is time that you did. God knows when I shall call you back- I only hope that when I do, you will be a man, not a boy trying to be a man."

Byakuya grit his teeth, and took a deep breath. There was no room to argue with the head of the household, even for him. Making a fist, he said,

"I understand. Would that be all, grandfather?"

"Byakuya." The old man stared at him, and despite his disappointment, Byakuya thought he noticed something like affection in his eyes. "You have everything you need to be the _daimyo_ of our lands and a servant to the emperor. One day, you will be. It is only a matter of getting there."

Byakuya just nodded. Sighing, the old daimyo waved dismissively at him, and Byakuya stood up, walking out. He had only turned around a corner when he stopped, leaning his back against the wall. That decrepit old man! He had done _everything_ that had been asked of him, and he had done it in a way that had impressed every tutor he ever had. He had been tested and returned nothing but brilliance, because anything short of that would be unworthy of the heir to the Kuchiki title. He had lived all his life for this- and now, he was 'not a man'. That foolish old-

No. He mustn't think of Ginrei-ojiisama like that. He was older and wiser than Byakuya, and he had to have a reason. Surely he must be acting for Byakuya's benefit?

_But being old and wise didn't mean you couldn't make mistakes, or be wrong_...

Byakuya stewed in his subdued, quiet anger for a while. There was nothing to be done, was there? He would travel to those uncultured, foolish Shiba and learn whatever they could teach them- likely story!- and return as the heir apparent he should always be.

Then, he heard voices. Ginrei-ojiisama's next visitors, no doubt. He heard, one, two, three voices, stopping in front of the door, entering the room...

He could not place, later on, what made him quietly and carefully sneak up to the door. Listening in on somebody else's conversation was a most ignoble thing to do, unfit for a samurai and certainly unfit for a true lord. But angry as he was, he didn't think quite so hard about what was noble and wasn't. Young Byakuya just listened...

"...as I am sure you might have heard," came a smooth voice, sounding ingratiating, submissive, "the emperor lies at his deathbed. He is expected to die very soon, rest his glorious majesty's soul- likely he has already died as we speak. An absolute tragedy-"

"I am aware, yes." Ginrei-ojiisama said gruffly. "I do have agents of my own keeping me up to date. I do not rely on courtiers to tell me what goes on in the realm."

"My title would be ambassador, your lordship." The smooth voice said. "And to the point, however tragic this is, the emperor has as of yet never produced an heir, nor has he got any brothers, cousins, second cousins, uncles, and so forth. I believe your lordship knows all too well the risks that carries with it?"

"I believe we can agree on that issue." Ginrei-ojiisama said sternly, and Byakuya got the impression he did not like this man very much. "A throne must not sit empty for very long. "So what have you come to say?"

"Your lordship, if it pleases you-"

"Oh, shut up." Came a second voice, slow and low class. "Yer lordship, deal is, m'lord Aizen's got a rightful claim on the throne. Turns out his father was the emperor's second cousin."

"Is that so?" His grandfather's voice was controlled and restrained, as befitted a lord, but Byakuya could hear the skepticism practically dripping from his words.

"Ah, yes," the low-class voice said, in an infuriatingly familiar tone. "but 'course, there's all sortsa malicious tongues sayin' it's a forgery. Seems like you can slander anyone these days, even a man of honour like m'lord."

"Aizen Sousuke is a hopped-up commoner who would sell his grandmother if it helped him." Ginrei-ojiisama harrumphed. "Get to your point, or I will throw you out head first myself."

"Now, now, no need t'be so scary-like." The voice continued, sounding almost amused. "M'lord's simply requestin' that you support his claim to the throne when the time comes. He fears certain people are gunna have objections, and having the word of a man of honour like yerself would be a huge help."

There was a pause, a long pause, before Ginrei-ojiisama spoke up again.

"Emperor Watanabe does not lie cold in his grave yet, and already low-life scum like Aizen Souske conspire to seize his chair. I should be furious, but in truth I am _grateful_. I will relish taking up arms with Shogun Yamamoto-sama again. Be gone with you both!"

"Uncle, please reconsider." Came a third voice, and Byakuya's heart skipped a beat. It was the voice of Kuchiki Junbe, a distant relative of his father's, and a member of their household.

"I will reconsider nothing. Be gone with you, before I decide to have you all whipped!"

"See, I thought ya'd say that. I told m'lord, he'll never listen- but he sent me anyways. M'lord Aizen is just too kind, ain't he?"

"Be _gone_!" Ginrei-ojiisama spat, nearly shouting. "This is your final warning- be gone or I will-"

There was a rumble, as of somebody getting to his feet quickly, and Byakuya could hear a gurgle. Unable to stop himself, he opened the door, rushing in.

"Grandfather!" He cried. The room was a scene of horror. Sitting on the floor, in yellow, flowing robes, as if nothing had happened, was the diplomat, and on his other side, standing up, in his wretched Kuchiki clan kimono, was Junbe. And standing in front of his beloved grandfather was a lean, lanky man with silver hair, pulling out a knife from Ginrei-ojiisama's chest.

"No..." Byakuya whimpered.

"Got 'im in the heart." The lanky man said, wiping the blood on his sleeve. "Pity I couldn't have more fun- but a kill's a kill."

Byakuya gaped.

"You wretched traitors..." He mumbled. "You-"

"Now, why'd you go and do that?" Junbe said. "Why'd you murder your grandfather, Byakuya-kun?"

"_What?!_" Byakuya shouted.

"Clearly he must have gone mad with ambition." The ambassador said, casually getting to his feet. "It is tragic what young men will do for power."

"It looks to me like the traitor is you, Byakuya-kun." Junbe said, his face so infuriatingly calm. "Ichimaru, please get him too."

Byakuya's mind was almost blank. His brain was trying to process what couldn't really be understood; that his grandfather who he had known for as long as he could remember, who had raised him when his father died, taught him everything worth knowing, was gone. It was beyond understanding, at least at this time. With a blank look, he stared into space.

And then, as the lean man took a step towards him, survival instinct kicked in, the thoughts of his dead grandfather shoved aside- not forgotten, but shelved, for a much later time. Quickly, Byakuya turned around and ran.

The honourable thing for a lord would have been to stay, fight, avenge his grandfather, to triumph righteously. But Byakuya hadn't got even a knife on him, much less a sword, and as much as the code of honour was clear on the appropriate conduct of a samurai, it was also clear that fighting without a sword would be plain stupid.

Something flashed into his mind. Ginrei-ojiisama's armoury. The place where he kept swords, bows, plate, all kinds of arms and armour. And the Kuchiki family sword. Unthinking, unfeeling, he ran, through the halls and down the stairs. He was vaguely aware of screams in the background, shouts of treason, but he couldn't care less. He had one single goal right now.

And before he knew it, there he was. On the first floor of the castle, facing east, protected by a heavy, ornate door, was the armoury. The door was unlocked; it always was when grandfather was nearby. He always liked to inspect his weaponry...

Quickly, Byakuya pushed the door open, and hurried inside. The walls were lined with spears, with exquisite bows, with foreign blades conquered from other nations, with armour put on display on human-sized dolls, fearsome masks covering their heads. And furthest down in the room, there it was, resting on a simple wooden sword-stand. He hurried, ran up to it, picking it up with far less ceremony and reverence than he knew was appropriate. He drew the blade out halfway through, inspecting it. It looked sharp- deadly, its colour a dull gray. It was an aged blade, forged for his grandfather's grandfather, and since then the token of Kuchiki rulership. And now it was his. Quickly, he put the sword back in its sheath, and fastened it to the belt on his kimono. Wasting no time, he ran outside. If he could make it to the stables...

Briefly, he considered staying, fighting. But if that snake Junbe had made his move, then it probably meant he was well prepared- even if the castle soldiers believed him over Junbe, he might have men of his own-

His train of thoughts was interrupted by four men in heavy armour coming down the hall, led by the lean, lanky man.

"There he is!" one of them cried.

Stables it was, then.

Ichigo felt a little bit overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. On the one hand, he'd been kidnapped by bandits, saved by a living legend, seen four people die (and seen more blood than he'd ever seen before, too), and guided said 'legend' to the village near the castle.

On the other, Zaraki Kenpachi not being a twelve foot tall, fire-breathing giant was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, he'd know _logically_ that there was no way that would be really true, but seeing him sit there in this tavern, drinking beer, sharing stories with his friends and making merry felt weirdly human. It felt almost offensive- legends were supposed to be slaying dragons, taking on giant armies a thousand to one, save fair maidens and get half the kingdom, not doing... _people_ stuff.

_Then again,_ a part of his mind argued,_ heroes are people too. And what's he supposed to do, get jumped by an ogre every five seconds_?

Shaking these silly thoughts aside, Ichigo looked around him nervously. He'd never been in the tavern before. Every now and then he'd have an errand down here, and sometimes he'd go talk to some of the girls here, which made him feel all kinds of strange, but he had very little free time. And according to the quartermaster, who did his best to keep him busy, the tavern was a source of debauchery and immorality.

And well, it fit the picture- people drinking, some people gambling, one or two fighting, some men with women on their laps...

He just hadn't expected debauchery to look this interesting.

And Zaraki Kenpachi seemed right at home in it, too. He was downing his third mug of ale, and generally looked a lot less grim. Cautiously, Ichigo decided that debauchery and immorality couldn't be _that_ bad.

"Here." Said Yumichika, walking up to the table with four more mugs of ale, placing one in front of Ichigo. "Enjoy- I thought you should try one."

"I'm not- I shouldn't-" Ichigo mumbled.

"Drink, boy!" Kenpachi said in an almost hearty tone. "That piece of shit small fry was worth fifty _kan_ from the local justice, an' that's enough money to put me in a good mood. You earned it."

"I really shouldn't..." Ichigo mumbled, but something about the idea of doing something the quartermaster wouldn't approve of was appealing.

"How old are you, brat?" Kenpachi asked, taking a swig.

"Fifteen summers. Sir."

"Then you're damn near a man. And beer's a man's drink- so have at it!"

Cautiously, Ichigo took a sip. Ikkaku sniggered. "Yer drinkin' like a bloody woman. Here, lemme show ya how it's done!" He took his mug, threw his head back, and in a few seconds he had emptied it. With a little more gusto, Ichigo drank. It tasted bitter, and he wasn't sure what all the fuss was about, but it would be rude- and very stupid- to turn down a gift from a man like him.

"Was he really worth that much?" Ichigo asked, after finishing half his cup.

"Oh, aye." Kenpachi said dismissively. "He'd been raisin' hell these last few weeks, and the local justice was gettin' desperate. Nobs are generous all right, when they have to be."

Fifty kan. That was more money than Ichigo had ever laid eyes on. He was never paid anything; at most he'd get a bronze _jin_ to spend here and there. Quietly, he drank from his beer. These three men lived in a whole different world, didn't they? One where killing was natural, where money was easy... one where there were no quartermasters to shout at them. Where you could be your own man. It was an amazing thought.

"Well, now that you finished," Kenpachi said, sounding not terribly unkind, "you prob'ly best get the fuck outta here. We're moving on soon, and you got... servanty shit to do, I guess."

"Take me with you." Ichigo said. He took a deep breath, downing what little was rest of his beer. It was like standing on top of a cliff and taking that plunge.

Except usually, you weren't pushed back on that cliff.

Kenpachi gave him an odd look. "You got some balls, I'll give you that. 'The fuck do we need some scrawny kid for?"

"I'm not scrawny!" Ichigo protested, flexing what little muscle he had. "And I'll make myself useful- I'll make the fire, I'll bring you water, I'll-"

"What, a fuckin' maid? We got Yumichika for that already."

Yumichika cleared his throat loudly, and shot Kenpachi a mean look. The man didn't seem to care.

"I still want to come with you. I- I want out there-"

Kenpachi sighed. "Fuckin' kids and their wanting 'adventure'. Kids your age are fucking idiots- you wanna see the world, go on a grand tour and shit, 'cause you're bored with life. And the only reason yer bored is 'cause you ain't got half a clue how shit the world can really be. Go back to yer castle and serve drinks, boy."

Ichigo made a fist. "It's not that." He said, gritting his teeth. "I have... something I want."

"Don't care. Fuck off."

"It's important!"

"To you."

"No, hang on- let's hear what he's got, and if he don't piss off once we heard him out, we toss him out head first." Ikkaku said, downing some more beer.

Kenpachi grunted something inaudible, and Ikkaku gestured at Ichigo. "Go on- be quick about it."

Ichigo took a deep breath. "I have two sisters. But... they don't know me. Half sisters, I guess..."

"Boring." Kenpachi said, shrugging.

"My dad's rich, okay?" Ichigo said. "Only he doesn't know me. I know him, but he don't know me."

"You're a bastard." Yumichika said quietly.

"Whatever." Ichigo grumbled. "I just... I _need_ to be more than a servant boy all my life. I want to look my father in the face one day and not be some commoner."

"Bastards?" Kenpachi grunted. "Join the fuckin' club. Who cares what yer mum and dad was? I don't- my mum was a whore, my father was whatever man she fucked, and I don't mind it. Who needs fathers?"

Ignoring him, Ichigo continued,

"I have to try. I want to go out there and try to be more than a servant boy."

"And what, go along with me for money, glory, maybe winning a title after slayin' a monster and saving the kingdom?" Kenpachi sounded half amused, half irritated. "This ain't a fairy tale, kid. What we do is dirty. We kill people for money, and we ain't legally allowed to either- we ain't samurai, we ain't even soldiers no more. We're sellswords. That crap about honour is all bullshit."

"I know what you do." Ichigo said, looking Kenpachi in the eye. "I saw you do it just a couple hours ago. And I didn't flinch then, did I?"

"You flinched, all right." Ikkaku cut in, grinning. "But point's taken."

"Still not interested." Kenpachi said. "So you got something you want? Big deal. You're a punk kid- it's easy to talk big, but would you be ready to die for what you want? Go home, kid."

Ichigo scowled, and fiercely he shot back,

"I'm not gonna die for what I want. I'm gonna live for it. And if that means I could die along the way, fine. I don't care what I have to do, just... let me come along. I won't be a bother."

"He's got guts, talking to you like that." Ikkaku said, leaning back.

"Or he's just stupid."

"Well I, for one, think it would be nice not to be the only maid in our merry little band." Yumichika said defiantly.

"You serious?" Kenpachi said, giving him a questioning look.

"Yeah, what the fuck, we could give it a try." Ikkaku said, shrugging. "Put it to a vote, why don't ya?"

"Of all the fuckin'..." Kenpachi muttered. "Fine- a vote it is! I say nay, and so do you two!"

"That's an aye for me." Yumichika said.

"And aye for me too." Ikkaku said.

"Yer not serious."

"If he ain't worth the trouble, we dump him. If not, we got a good set of hands- and better company than your gloomy face." Ikkaku grinned.

"Watch it." Kenpachi growled. He turned to Ichigo. "You ever marched a whole day in your life boy? Livin' in a castle, servant or not, I don't reckon you have. One day of marchin' and you'd be out cold- and when you fall over, we ain't pickin' you up. You don't expect no help, got that?"

"Try me." Ichigo bit back. Finally remembering who, exactly, it was that he was talking to, he added, "Sir."

Kenpachi scoffed, and ordered another round of beer. Well, this day had turned out more... exciting than he had expected.


	2. Chapter 2

One thing was for sure: they hadn't been kidding about the marching. They had walked all day yesterday, only pausing twice for some short rests, and they had covered god knows how many miles today. It was mid-day, almost lunchtime, and they had gone further than Ichigo had ever been, far away from Kuchiki castle. Ichigo's feet and legs were absolute murder on him, aching and hurting in ways he hadn't even imagined possible. He'd never owned a pair of shoes, so the soles of his feet were plenty hardened, but the constant grind of walking the country road, feeling gravel and dirt under his feet, was wearing on him like a file on a piece of wood. Still, he kept on- right now, it wasn't so bad.

And he was seeing much of the countryside. It looked beautiful now in the summer, with a lake or two in the distance, forests coming and going; great bamboo sprouts and oaks, birch, even trees that he had no clue what they were. The one real annoyance was Yachiru; the little girl was ridiculously energetic, spending much time running around, asking questions, doing whatever she pleased. Most of her time, though, was spent riding shoulders- Kenpachi's, Ikkaku's, and Ichigo's too. He'd tried protesting, but Kenpachi had given him a look, and Ichigo had decided that a bit of constant chatter and a bit of hair-pulling wasn't so bad.

But even with that, the countryside sure looked pretty...

Noticing his wandering eyes, Yumichika said,

"Never been out of the village, have you?"

"No." Ichigo mumbled, still looking out in the distance. "When I was a kid, I lived at castle Shiba. When I got sent here, I saw a lot on the way... but that's years back."

"I see."

"It's still amazing, though." Ichigo said hurriedly, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "Being out here, walking because I want to... it really is uh, something else."

Yumichika smiled.

"I'm surprised you're still keeping up. To be honest, I thought we'd lose you some time last night."

"Well, I'm tougher than you think." Ichigo said confidently. "But... if you thought that, why'd you both let me in?"

Yumichika sighed. "To be honest, we were all a little drunk, and mostly I just wanted to piss off Kenpachi. I never expected that you'd actually be completely serious about it. We had boys try and follow us before, and they all went running back home to mommy before long."

"Well, I ain't got one to run back to." Ichigo said, gruffly. "In fact, I don't think there's anything for me to run back to- all I own's on me right now." He gestured to his dirty, gray servant's kimono. Aside from a small knife in his cloth belt, he really had nothing.

Yumichika frowned. "Poor as dirt, are you?"

"Seen poorer." Ichigo said, shrugging. "I didn't have to go hungry, and I had clothes- although they didn't let me get new ones often."

"What did you do back there? Serve drinks to the lords and ladies?"

Ichigo scoffed. "I wish! That's what the _posh _servants did, the ones that knew what asses to kiss to get there. They actually got paid, too- me, I got food, clothes and a roof over my head, and I had to be grateful for it."

"So... what did you do?"

"Worked for the quartermaster, mostly. Took inventory, carried things all day, moved goods from one place to another. Sometimes I watered the horses. I didn't mind that."

"And that's all you did?"

"Pretty much."

"Sounds dreadfully boring. No wonder you wanted out."

Ichigo shrugged, not sure what to say. He had found it tedious, but that wasn't why he wanted out. Changing the subject, he said,

"So... those two," he nodded towards Ikkaku and Kenpachi, who were walking seven paces or so ahead of them, "what are they um... really like?"

"They're killers." Yumichika said simply. "And they're very good at it. But don't believe they're _as_ bad as their reputation says. Ikkaku's a kitten once you get to know him-" Ichigo held back the urge to snigger; if there was one word he _wouldn't_ use to describe Ikkaku, it was 'kitten'- "and the big man... well, he understands the value of a big reputation, but he's not the kind of bad, bad man who kills people for the fun of it. I mean, he _does_ kill people for the fun of it, but he doesn't do it unnecessarily. Um, well, he does do it unnecessarily, all the time, but he um, has some limits." Yumichika said, sounding a bit awkward, having talked himself into a corner without realising it. "Basically, he likes killing and fighting- but he doesn't murder people. If you don't have a sword, he's not coming after you. And he's not a thief or a rapist either- you couldn't say he has a 'code' or something, but there are some things he doesn't do. Standards, I guess."

Ichigo nodded. "I see. So they're... bad, but not that bad?"

"They're bad men all right, but they wouldn't last a day without me." He said pridefully. "Oh sure, they can kill men by the dozen, but when they get a tear in their clothes, or a wound from a fight, or if they just need a meal cooked, who do they come running to? Me."

"So how do you get by, wandering the land like this?"

"Mercenary work, mostly." Yumichika said, sounding relieved to have the subject changed. "Bounties like the man from yesterday works. Whatever work a hired sword can do. The whole reputation thing really works there- sometimes, just the name is enough to impress a daimyo into hiring us."

"But you never stay?"

"No." He shook his head. "But he has his reasons. You see-"

Suddenly, they were interrupted by a horse, speeding past them in full gallop. Ichigo had heard the noise before, but not really registered it, being too caught up in the conversation. He looked at the rider as he sped past- long, black hair, an expensive-looking blue kimono with the Kuchiki clan crest...

His pondering was shoved aside, though, as the rider pulled his horse to make a sharp turn. The horse obeyed, but it was too fast, too quick around the road's curve, and the man flew off his horse, flung luckily- although the rider probably wouldn't think so- right into a shrubbery. The horse kept galloping, running off into the distance. Forgetting the ache in his soles, Ichigo hurried up, running towards the fallen rider. Kenpachi and Ikkaku had stopped, curiously observing this new arrival.

A groan could be heard from the shrubs, and Ichigo went closer. He walked up, and had a look. It was a nobleman, all right- and at a closer look he saw it. Gods be damned, was that Kuchiki Byakuya, heir to the castle? What was he doing here?

Well, no matter.

"You all right?" Ichigo said, taking his arm. "M'lord." He added as an afterthought, pulling the young man out of the shrubbery. Byakuya gave a groan, standing up on wobbly feet.

"Who's this peacock?" Kenpachi said. "Friend of yours?"

"Big-shot at the castle where I worked." Ichigo said, stepping back. "You all right there?"

"Gods curse my luck..." Byakuya mumbled. He shook his head, and an expression of terror crossed his face. "Please, you must help me! I'm being pursued-"

And then, they all could hear the noise of galloping hooves coming closer.

"Oh, _damn_." Byakuya said, his face going pale. "Please, sirs, I am in great danger!" He grabbed at a sword fastened to his belt. "I'm being pursued by my own men, for reasons that demand an explanation longer than we have time for!"

"Now _that_ is a helluva story." Ikkaku said, grinning. "How's a nob ending up thrown outta his castle and hunted by his lapdogs?"

"Gotta admit, that's kinda funny." Kenpachi said.

"Gentlemen, please!" Byakuya exclaimed.

"We'll see." Kenpachi said, turning to face the approaching horsemen. It were a patrol of five, Ichigo counted, men in light armour, with spears in hand, swords at their side, and masks covering their faces. Samurai.

The horses slowed down from gallop to a trot, and stopped before Kenpachi.

"Out of the way!" Their leader demanded. "We are here in search of a traitor- Kuchiki Byakuya, accused of the murder of his grandfather. We are here in the name of house Kuchiki, and our errand will not be stopped."

Ichigo's eyes widened. Daimyo Ginrei was dead? That could be bad news.

"You there!" The leader continued, pointing at Kenpachi with his spear. "You carry a sword- by what lord do you swear? With whom lies your allegiance, samurai?"

Kenpachi spat at the ground before the horseman. "I don't swear by no lord. You want splendour and ceremony, go fuckin' find it elsewhere."

"You are a masterless swordsman, then. A ronin."

"Whatever you wanna call it."

"Carrying a blade without allegiance to a lord is punishable by death." The leader said pridefully. "However, we will overlook your crime, if you step aside this instant. This traitor must be brought to justice."

"Lies!" Byakuya cried. "I have been falsely accused- it was Junbe, not I!"

"I don't give a shit." Kenpachi said. "So I step aside, and we don't have no trouble, is that right?"

"Correct." The samurai said.

"How about this?" Kenpachi said, putting his hand on his sword. "You can have 'im, but _you _walk around _me."_

"Arrogant swine!" The samurai sneered, and thrust his spear forward. It was remarkable how a man that big had the reflexes of a cat, Ichigo thought, but in just a simple move Kenpachi had moved to the side, and grabbed the spear. The samurai tugged at it, but to no avail.

"See, you shouldn't have done that." Kenpachi said, drawing his sword, and pulling hard at the spear. The samurai fell forward, off his horse and onto Kenpachi's blade.

"Idiot." He grunted, pulling his sword out of the samurai's gut. With a quick movement, he stabbed the blade into the samurai's throat. The man gave a gurgle, and blood poured out on the ground.

The four other soldiers, who had been watching up till now, made a move forward, drawing their swords.

"You wanna get off them horses, boys." Kenpachi said, taking a stance. "I know how to fight people on a horse, and believe me, horses won't do you no good unless you have a big old charge behind you. A hundred armed and armoured men on horseback crashing into an army puts the fear of god in people, but when you're the ones bein' charged? Not so good."

The samurai gave each other a look, and slowly, without taking their eyes off Kenpachi, they dismounted.

"Why's he doing this?" Ichigo whispered. "Why is he letting them get off in peace like that?"

"Because he likes a good fight." Yumichika whispered back. "He could have killed at least two by now, but that's not how he likes to do it."

"Oi, Zaraki." Ikkaku said, holding out his spear. "I'm getting in on this."

"Sod off." Kenpachi murmured. "I ain't had a good fight in weeks." He grinned widely, as the four samurai spread out, swords at the ready.

"You fuckin' glory hog, I'm getting at least one!" Ikkaku said, charging forward. "Oi, you!" He cried, thrusting his spear forward, aiming right for the head of one of the samurai. The man parried the strike, and even hit back for a counter-attack.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Ikkaku shouted gleefully. "That's the spirit!" He launched into a series of thrusts, attacking ruthlessly.

Meanwhile, three samurai were still focused on Kenpachi. A first one charged forward, striking fast and hard, one, two, three times. Kenpachi, still grinning, parried each thrust, pushing back hard. He raised his sword and struck down hard, but had to change direction, just barely parrying an attack from his left. And at the same time, to his right, the third samurai went forward with a stab. Ichigo wanted to cry out, warn him- but then at the last second, Kenpachi's foot caught the samurai in the gut, knocking him in the ground. There were still two trained samurai, working together, hitting with furious precision. Kenpachi let out a loud, strong laugh, and went into a fast set of attacks, somehow matching the speed of two men at once.

And then, one of the samurai made a mistake, stumbling back. Kenpachi lunged forward, his sword cutting right through the man's helmet. Blood and brain matter spilled onto the road, and Kenpachi moved back in time just to catch the other samurai. They locked blades, pushing against each other- but Kenpachi was taller, heavier, and the samurai began to stagger. With a hard push, Kenpachi shoved him back, and stabbed forward, his sword going right through the light armour, into his chest. The samurai let out a gurgle, and collapsed. This left only the third one, who was on his feet again. Letting out a loud cry, he charged Kenpachi, cutting from on high, the left, feinting and stabbing- and Kenpachi caught each one. Finally a thrust came for his head, slicing at his cheek, and some blood was drawn.

"Well, fuck me." Kenpachi said, grinning even wider. Although the samurai's face was hidden under a mask, something about the way he took a step backward, holding his sword defensively, told Ichigo he was afraid, as plain as any expression of fear a face could give. Lunging forward, Kenpachi struck furiously, stabbing, slashing, hitting. The samurai blocked once, two, three, four times; it almost seemed like he might last.

Almost.

Coming down with a vicious cut from above, the sword of his enemy was knocked down low, and in the blink of an eye, Kenpachi cut sideways, cutting the man's head off. The headless body staggered for a second, as if it was trying to remember how to walk, and then fell over. More blood spilled on the road, and a head rolled off it.

"Fuck me..." Kenpachi said happily, running a thumb over the cut on his cheek. He had plenty of blood on him, all from his enemies, but the small dribble from his face seemed to fascinate him. "These boys had proper training. Maybe even real experience, too."

"That, or yet gettin' rusty." Ikkaku said. There was blood on the blade of his spear, and behind him lay the samurai who had taken him on, perfectly still.

"Wot, says you?" Kenpachi sounded... cheerful? "I still got three of 'em, and only took a small nick for it."

"I ain't takin' that from the glory hog who steals all the fightin' for himself. Fucking greedy, Zaraki!"

Kenpachi grinned again, and it was an eerie thing to watch. "Eh- get their swords and their horses. It'll be worth good money in the next town we get to."

"You killed them." Ichigo mumbled.

"Well, ya got eyes in your head, I'll give you that." Kenpachi said, wiping his sword on the clothes of one of the dead soldiers before sheathing it.

"They were just doing their duty, and you killed them all. And now... you're taking their swords?"

Kenpachi shot him a glare. "I _told_ you, boy, this ain't a fairy tale. I gave 'em a chance to not die, and they didn't take it. What happened next was as nat'ral as a fox pouncing on a rabbit. And now they're dead, I'm alive, and I sure as shit ain't going to waste what good fortune's put right in my face."

"But-"

"And if you got a problem with that," The swordsman snarled, "you can go right the fuck back to your village and serve drinks. This is what I _do-_ I live life as I see fit, stakin' my life for it. If you can't stomach that, get the fuck out."

Ichigo opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He didn't know what he could say. He couldn't go back- he'd started walking, and he didn't want to stop. But still...

"Good." Kenpachi said. "Now, you and Yumichika get the horses. Make sure they don't run off."

"Excuse me." It was the young noble, Byakuya, speaking up. He looked a bit pale, looking at the scene of carnage before him, but he took a decisive- or at least the attempt at one- step forward. "Excuse me, sir- I didn't catch your name. I ought to know who it is that I owe gratitude."

Kenpachi laughed. "Ain't you fancier than an indoors lavatory? I'm Zaraki Kenpachi- the one what the idiots call a hundred man slayer. Wandering swordsman, killin' for money and all that. Who the fuck are you?"

"I, er, I am Kuchiki Byakuya." The young man said, seeming a bit off-put by Kenpachi's attitude. "I am the rightful heir to castle Kuchiki."

"Oh yeah." Ikkaku said, nodding. "But these here samurai said you was a traitor and whatnot. So which is it?"

"I have been falsely accused." Byakuya said haughtily, regaining that arrogant tone again at the mention of this slight. "My grandfather was murdered, and to eliminate me I was blamed for it. Forced to run for my life, it must have appeared to the soldiers that I had to have been guilty."

"Well, do whatever exiled nobs do, then." Kenpachi said, shrugging. "I'd go find that horse you fell off, if I were you." He looked to Yumichika and Ikkaku, who had fastened the swords of the fallen samurai to the saddle on one of the horses. "You about done? This was a good break, but we're movin' on."

Yumichika nodded, and they started walking.

"Wait!" Byakuya cried. "You, sir, seem like a capable hand with a sword."

"Ain't that one way of putting it." Kenpachi said, stopping. "What of it?"

"I require your services."

"Require 'em you can, but you ain't gettin' serviced by me." He said, turning around to walk.

"Wait!" Byakuya shouted. "Wait- I'll pay you!"

"Now we're talkin'." Kenpachi said, stopping but not turning around. "You got money?"

"Well, no, but-"

"We're leavin'."

"I am the heir!" Byakuya cried, sounding desperate. "If I could only reach one of our allies, I could surely sway them, and depose that wretched Junbe! And if I did that, I would have full access to the Kuchiki treasury! Gold, weapons, whatever you please!"

"Uh huh." Kenpachi said, sounding unimpressed- but he wasn't walking, Ichigo noticed.

"A thousand kan." Byakuya said ceremoniously. "A well earned reward for invaluable service to the Kuchiki house."

Kenpachi turned around, a big grin on his face. Slowly, he pulled out his sword. Byakuya tensed.

"You see this, boy? This is a big 'un, picked right out of ol' Yamamoto's armoury, the night before Katagahara. As a reward, you see. Were plenty of fancier, more expensive blades around, but this one fit my hand right." He held it up, and struck down once, twice. "It's a tool for killin', no fancy parts added. It's a cheap one, for a sword made for lordlings, and it cost just above one thousand kan. You think I'm gonna make an effort for that little money, when I got a blade like this?"

"Two thousand, then."

"We're leavin'." Kenpachi turned around again, and started walking. Ichigo shot Byakuya a look, and started walking with the others. It was a pity.

"Five thousand!" Byakuya cried, running after them. Kenpachi said nothing.

"All right- ten thousand kan, and nothing less!"

Kenpachi stopped.

"That's better. And you're good for that kinda cash?"

"I say!" Byakuya exclaimed pompously. "The Kuchiki household is one of the most powerful- and rich- in all the land! Ten thousand is a large sum, but far from difficult for the lord of clan Kuchiki."

It was, in fact, quite a sum even for a lord to spend at once, Byakuya knew- the treasury held, in coin alone, no more than two hundred and ten thousand- but right now, no price was too high.

"Ten thousand..." Kenpachi said, scratching his head. "How much beer you reckon we could buy with that, Ikkaku?"

"A whole fuckin' lot." Ikkaku said, nodding. "And not the second rate stuff- good shit."

"A man could almost retire on that. Not that I want to... but it'd be nice to have a back-up plan in general." He looked Byakuya in the eye. "You got yourself a deal, kid. Where you need to go?"

"...oh." Byakuya said. "Oh yes, that..."

He had known he needed to get to some of his allies- but if his enemies were bold enough to kill Ginrei-ojiisama in broad daylight, who knew where else he could be reached by them. The Shihoin? Too ambiguous in their loyalty. The Kyoraku? He knew nothing to their detriment- only that they lived quite close to Aizen Sousuke's lands. The Ukitake? They were loyal, but their house was weak- they hadn't got half the lands or soldiers the Kuchiki did. So... where to?

"Ya don't know?" Kenpachi said, interrupting Byakuya's musings. "You'd pay me a fortune, but ya don't know where you need to go?"

"I-I suppose just traveling with you would do for now." Byakuya mumbled.

"Shiba castle." Ichigo cut in. "Try Shiba castle?"

"And why is that?" Byakuya said, curious and a bit cold. That _was_ where his grandfather had meant to send him in the first place.

"It's a strong castle." Ichigo said, shrugging. "Well built, tall, full of hard men. Their lord's a good man too, and he ain't fond of traitors. You know who's out to get you?"

"A silver-haired man..." Byakuya said quietly, remembering the image of him standing over his dying grandfather. "They spoke of Aizen Sousuke, and a claim to the throne."

"I heard about Aizen Sousuke." Kenpachi said, nodding. "Real successful, ambitious, strong grip on his lands. Word is he's a bit of a cunt- but then again, what noble lord ain't?"

"Well, Shiba Isshin's no friend of Aizen's, or so the word is." Ichigo said. "He's loyal to the shogun. I think you best set your sights on Shiba castle."

"Look at 'im, thinking more like a lord than the little lord himself." Kenpachi sniggered.

"I'm not a little lord! I am the-"

"Right, right, the rightful heir and all that crap." Kenpachi waved dismissively. "What say you, kid?"

"Shiba castle will do." Byakuya said, sighing. It was far from Aizen's territory, at least.

"All right, off to the north we are." Kenpachi turned, and started walking. "Next stop's Kadeki. Big ol' village a couple day's worth of marching ahead. We'll sell the swords and horses there, and figure out a route."

"I thank you, kind sir-" Byakuya started.

"Save it." Kenpachi grumbled. "Good grief, at least the dumb kid over there-" he gestured at Ichigo- "knows when to shut up."

Byakuya looked a bit dumbfounded. Nobody had, in all his life, dared speak to him that way since he was a small child, and even then it was only his grandfather.

"Let it go, kid." Ikkaku said, marching next to Byakuya. "He's good at fightin', but don't expect manners from him."

They kept walking for the rest of that day, and Ichigo's soles kept aching something awful. He soldiered on, though- as friendly as Yumichika seemed, he didn't expect he'd help him if he lagged behind. Their new addition fared a little better, although the walking seemed to be taking a toll on him too. After what seemed like an eternity, they made camp, and slept for the night under some trees, a ways off the road- would be foolish to sleep near the road, Kenpachi had said; that's how you'd get attacked in your sleep, and that was a right stupid way to die...

The ground had been harder than the cot he'd slept in back in the castle, but Ichigo had been too exhausted to notice it. In what seemed like the blink of an eye later, he had woken up, his legs sore and his feet worse. The birds were chirping loud, the sun was shining in his face through the forest canopy, and though Ichigo felt like sleeping more, he had begun to notice how awkward the ground felt to lie on, how a small pebble jutted into his back, how loud the damn birds were...

Groaning, he sat up. Looking around him, he saw the others still sleeping- Kenpachi leaned against a tree, snoring like a sawmill, Byakuya lying uncomfortably a bit further down, and Yumichika and Ikkaku cuddled up together. They had slept together yesterday, too- maybe for warmth? The summers weren't exactly cold, though...

Realizing that there wouldn't be much in the way of breakfast till Yumichika woke, Ichigo decided to explore a little. Maybe if he were lucky, he'd find a bird's nest- eggs were good, raw or not. Taking care not to stray too far, he looked around in the forest, yawning deeply. It was thick with leaved trees, the summer having made the forest as lush as it could ever be. Not far from here, he could hear a stream, and after a little cautious searching, he found it. Sitting down by it, he bathed his feet there. It was a great relief to his sore, aching soles- all he needed now was a bit of breakfast.

"Hello? Peasant?"

Great.

It was Byakuya, apparently having followed him. He looked half asleep still, and far less pristine than yesterday.

"Wot?" Ichigo said sourly. After a pause, he added, "M'lord."

"I was wondering where you had sneaked off to. Well, no harm, no foul."

Ichigo gave him a look. Something about his tone was rubbing him a way which was definitely to be defined as wrong.

Byakuya looked around at the forest, and to the stream where Ichigo was bathing his feet.

"Do head back and get a pot, or something of the like. I would like some water."

"Say what?"

"Oh, I must not have spoken very clearly." Byakuya said innocently. "Go fetch me some water, boy. You should have no problem finding an appropriate vessel back with those three."

Ichigo wasn't sure if it was his tone, or if Kenpachi's example had inspired him to be defiant, or is he was just rebellious, or if it was just that he'd had no breakfast yet- or all of the above- but something about Byakuya pissed him off.

"Go get your own fucking water." He sneered.

Later, when asked, he couldn't be sure why he said it.

"I'm sorry?" Byakuya said, blinking, looking as if he had heard something unbelievable, unreal. "I said-"

"You heard me." Ichigo said, realising that, technically speaking, he was stepping in some deep cack. Mouthing off to a noble like this was usually not a great idea. Then again, the first step had already been taken.

"I am being far too generous here," Byakuya said sharply, "but if you obey _right now_, I will forget these insults for the time being."

Ichigo stood up, facing Byakuya.

"I said, _get your own fucking water_. Are you so pampered you can't even bend down to drink from a stream, or what?"

"I should cut your hand off for that, you cur!" Byakuya said, putting a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Oh, that's real brave!" Ichigo sneered. "The big, strong, noble warrior, attacking unarmed commoners. The storytellers are sure to remember that as an epic feat of valour!"

"I see." Byakuya said, balling his fists. "I'll just have to teach you a lesson more appropriately." He moved forward, raising his arms, and quickly stepped forward.

The intent, undoubtedly, had been a round of good old fisticuffs, in which he of course emerged victorious. The end result, when Ichigo himself stepped forward, too fast and too rough, was a semi-wrestling, hair-pulling, semi-punching mess, the both of them grappling each other, trying simultaneously to push the other away while landing what punches they could. Locked in struggle, the two of them fought, aimlessly pushing one another over the forest floor. Ichigo had a thumb in Byakuya's eye, Byakuya had a solid grip on Ichigo's ear while he jabbed Ichigo in the side, and it looked like it might keep going until the two of them wore each other out-

But then, Ichigo felt himself losing his footing, falling backwards. And Byakuya, still locked in his grip, fell with him, both of them plunging right into the water stream. It wasn't deep, but it was more than enough for Ichigo to end up underwater, pushed down by the arrogant young nobleman. Viciously he pushed and struggled, suddenly fearing for his life-

And then Byakuya suddenly went off him. Ichigo raised his head over the water level, but only barely had the time to draw a quick breath before a thick, strong hand grabbed him by the back of his neck, pulling him to land. He blinked, and saw that it was Kenpachi, holding him and Byakuya like a vice, looking like he was in a mood to snap both their necks.

"Unhand me!" Byakuya spat, futilely struggling against Kenpachi's grip, his hands trying in vain to undo the man's grip. "You ruffian- you will pay for this, I swear-"

"You know," Kenpachi growled, in a tone that silenced even Byakuya's deeply offended mouth, "it's a hell of a pain where I can't even go take a piss, waitin' for breakfast, without having to see to two idiot pups what can't even keep quiet between themselves. You think I'm mean? Try me bein' disturbed before I had a bite to eat in the morning."

Ichigo swallowed. When he looked mean, he looked mean as hell, and the grip around his neck was only loose enough that he could breathe.

"It was the peasant!" Byakuya said, now having stopped his struggle, but still keeping his hands at Kenpachi's fingers. "I just asked him to go get some water, and he-"

"He ordered me about like a fucking ponce!" Ichigo spat. "He can go get his own water, I told him-" 

"Shut _up_." Kenpachi growled, and the two of them went quiet immediately. "So, you're both making this kinda fuss this early in the morning over water, is that right?"

"It's the principle." Byakuya said, with a forced calm to his voice. "I am his lord by right and he must obey me. That is all I ask."

"And I say balls to that!" Ichigo spat.

"What part of _shut up_ didn't you get?" Kenpachi said, the grip on their necks tightening a little. He stared at them for a short while, and the both of them got a sense of _why _he was so feared; it was like looking into the eyes of a demon.

"Obviously, I'm gonna hafta let you both know some _fucking ground rules."_ Kenpachi snarled. "First off, _you," _He let go of Byakuya, roughly throwing him to the ground, "_you_ ain't a lord in this company. You got authority over no-one but yerself. And if you want to travel with me, you do as I say, when I say it, or else. That goes for the both of you, is that clear?"

"But-"

"If I hear anything but 'yes sir, mister Kenpachi sir, I understand', I'll throw you off the road after kicking your teeth out."

"...I understand." Byakuya said, looking pale.

"_Good_. And _you."_ He said, throwing Ichigo to the ground. "You stop acting like a fucking idiot, flying off the handle 'cause a nob's being a nob. I don't have time for idiots in this company- yer a man, so act like it."

"...yes, sir." Ichigo nodded. The two of them stood up cautiously, looking at the infuriated demon before them."

"Good fuckin' grief..." Kenpachi growled. "Next time you decide to be pups, do it outta earshot." He turned around, and walked back. He stopped, just shortly.

"Oh, and go get some fucking water! We'll need it for breakfast."

"What?" Ichigo burst out. "But we just- he just-"

"I am expected to perform _chores_?" Byakuya said, sounding mortified.

"What I say, _when I say it._" Kenpachi growled. "We need water, so you two go get water. No ifs, no buts, no arguments. There's a couple buckets in the pack- hop to it!"

Giving one another a long, venomous stare, the two young men decided, each to himself, that maybe getting water wasn't such a bad idea.

Breakfast was simple; a small portion of rice cooked under a fire, water, and a few leaves of dry bread. Neither Ichigo nor Byakuya particularly cared though, both nurturing a hurt pride, exchanging venomous glares back and forth. Eventually, the group packed up all they needed, getting back to the road, and continuing the march towards Kadeki village. Kenpachi's mood seemed to have evened out, but Ichigo and Byakuya, both being as petty as only fifteen year olds could be, had neither of them let go of their hostility. The landscape was beautiful, the sun was rising through the sky, the weather was warm and inviting, and even little Yachiru- whose energetic spirit made her more than a little annoying before- wasn't much of a problem. And of course, for Ichigo it was all poisoned by the very existence of Byakuya, and the feeling was more than reciprocated. It hadn't been two miles before Ichigo murmured something.

"Poncy twat."

"I will not dignify that with an answer." Byakuya said, putting his head high in the air, looking especially in a direction that did not involve Ichigo.

"I think you just did. Twat." Ichigo said, also looking elsewhere.

"That is rich, coming from an uncouth oaf like yourself."

"Posh git."

"Ignorant peasant."

"Silk-wearing moron."

"Uncultured bastard."

"What next, are ya gonna call him a poopy-head?" Ikkaku said. "Take it easy, lads- you'll strain your necks, turning them like that."

"You are quite right." Byakuya said. "I shall endeavor henceforth to act as if this beast of a commoner does not exist at all."

"Oh, real mature, _my lord,_ I think I'll learn from that example, _my lord._" Ichigo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"At least that'll make it quiet." Yumichika muttered. "Please, boys, relax. Focus on something else, like... well, I don't know, what is it young boys your age like to focus on when you're not acting like you're half your age? Big swords? Pretty girls?"

"They seem more interested in each other." Ikkaku said, grinning. Byakuya and Ichigo made a face, but kept quiet, and the march went on. Some more insults were flung back and forth, but a glare from Kenpachi was enough to silence them.

Eventually, they stopped for the night. The sun hadn't set yet, but it seemed Kenpachi was in no particular hurry. Neither was Ichigo; his feet still hurt like mad from the marching, and a bit of relaxation was welcome, as far as he was concerned. Byakuya hadn't said a word about it, but he looked weary too; something told Ichigo that the posh git wasn't accustomed to long marches.

They all settled in a small clearing, a small ways off the road, with plenty of lush vegetation, and a few small rocks to sit on. Ichigo sat himself down on a round rock, naturally polished, and though it was a hard seat, it was an enormous relief.

"Aaaaaaahh..." He groaned happily.

"Just relax yourself, and I'll get a fire going." Yumichika said. "How do you like rice for supper?"

"Rice is all we get, I take it?" Byakuya said glumly.

"I am afraid so, yes, m'lord." Yumichika said, shrugging. "We're lucky to have it. Our only other option would be to hunt. Do you know how to catch and skin a deer, young lord?"

"...I fear not."

"What's the problem, lord?" Ichigo said. "Too used to fancy, tiny dishes of lark eggs?"

"You would never know-" Byakuya started.

"No." Kenpachi said, stretching himself out on the ground. "No. The two of you ain't fighting here. Get the fuck out of here, and come back when it's time to sleep. I'm restin' up, and I don't want to hear your shit."

The two of them looked at him.

"I said get the fuck out." Kenpachi said firmly. "And if you wander off and get lost, that's _your_ problem."

Deciding not to argue, the both of them walked off. It'd be a couple hours till sundown; it wouldn't take too long.

Wandering aimlessly in roughly the same direction, most definitely not looking at each other, the two of them walked into the forest, no real purpose or goal before them. The twilight made the forest an eerily beautiful place to look at; the last rays of light filtering through the forest canopy, illuminating the bamboo, the leaved trees, in a completely different way. Some things could almost not be seen properly in the light anymore, and being in this strange place made Ichigo forget, for a moment, his sworn feud with Kuchiki Byakuya. It really was an adventure, wasn't it? They'd come all this way, so much further from the castle than he'd ever been... two days, and he was doing all right, wasn't he? In the company of Zaraki Kenpachi, no less. To think that just days before, he'd worried only about the quartermaster's wrath felt wholly absurd, like something out of a different life.

His sense of wonder was disrupted, though, by the source of his petty hatred making himself heard.

"Ichigo, was it?" Byakuya said.

"What do you want?" Ichigo grumbled, frowning, not looking his way. "If you want to continue from this morning, bring it."

"...I would rather avoid it." Byakuya said coldly. "Make no mistake about my intention here- you are a low-born commoner with an arrogance far above your station, but for now, in the interest of peace-"

"Peace meanin' not getting your teeth kicked in by the big man."

There was a slight, rather telling pause.

"...what I mean to say is, let us try and keep somewhat civil _when he can hear us_."

"Well, he can't hear us now, can he?" Ichigo said, putting his arms behind his head, and turning to face Byakuya. Any excuse, right now, and he was ready to go again. "But sure. I don't fancy getting knocked about any more than you. I mean, I could probably take it better than you, but..."

"Where _did_ you get such confidence, I wonder?" Byakuya said, even colder. "Did your mother not teach you anything like manners?"

"She died when I was six." Ichigo said, shrugging. "So no, I guess."

There was a look on Byakuya's face, and maybe it was just the fading light playing a trick, but he looked rather less resentful- for a moment.

"Even so, you had best make yourself scarce when I take hold of my lands. I will not tolerate insolence."

"I'm betting you ain't tolerant of a whole lot."

Byakuya frowned, and opened his mouth to retort- but kept quiet, looking around him.

"Wot, cat got your tongue?" Ichigo said, smirking. "You know-"

"Quiet!" Byakuya urged. "Can you not hear it?"

"What you mean? You playing some trick-"

"_Listen_." Byakuya urged, looking deeper into the forest. Ichigo, still wondering what this was- a trick, yeah, to make him look foolish- still primed his ears. He heard not much; a few crickets chirping, the buzzing of a mosquito, the rustling of a small breeze, and...

Somebody crying out for help. Far off and over a hill, but there it was.

"What's that?" He wondered. Byakuya, though, wasn't listening, already heading up the hill to investigate. Determined not to be left behind, Ichigo hurried up, jogging to catch up with the young lord.


	3. Chapter 3

The glorious, millennium-old country of Rice and Swords lay at the very heart of the world itself, or at least so its tradition liked to claim. In each cardinal direction lay a mountain range, the four points, serving as a natural set of walls, laid down by the gods themselves when they blessed the first emperor, who united what had previously been dozens of small fiefdoms fighting between themselves for the pettiest of reasons. To its north lay the border to Shin, the country of a million shrines, the mighty empire next to which their own looked tiny. To the east, across the sea, lay the empire of Wan, governed by the Flash of Lightning, and their chief rival- more wars had been fought between them than anybody cared to count, and neither had ever conquered the other.

The north was grim and strong, the east was the cool brewing pot of port cities, the west was the home of tradition, and the south was the home of heroes and farmers, and all in all it encompassed seventeen areas, each governed by a daimyo, a lord of absolute power who answered to none but the emperor himself. Each one were bound by honour to pay a tithe every quarter of the year, and raise an army to fight the emperor's enemies whenever needed. Samurai were the most seen, best armed and armoured, but most soldiers were far simpler- spearmen drafted from the many farmlands, young men eager to serve- because those who were not eager were often lashed by the officers.

Hundreds of thousands of men would stand at the ready when all hosts were readied, as they had well over sixty years ago, when Watanabe Kadehata had risen against his liege lord, emperor Hadejima the cruel, and seized the throne for himself. At his side had stood a young man named Yamamoto, and he had served the Watanabe line faithfully since.

And now, in the grand, richly decorated hall where the emperor would hold counsel, Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai, the grand shogun of the empire of rice and swords and right hand to the emperor, sat at the furthest seat of the table. On his left sat Kyoraku Shunsui, on his right Unohana Retsu, and on fifteen more spots sat noblemen and dignitaries from all over the country, lords and ladies who not only knew politics, but actually knew something about power. It was a gathering of all the right people- of allies and enemies, of generals and spies and socialites.

They were all quiet at the moment; none had the right to speak at this table before a meeting had been opened. It would soon change though; before long he would have to begin speaking, and not soon after somebody was sure to interrupt him, and then somebody interrupt _that_ person, and soon the council would resemble more a hen's pen than a dignified meeting of the nation's most powerful. Yamamoto was far too old to waste time and energy on hatred, but the way these people could behave... _irked_ him.

"Lords and ladies." He said. "I will not stand on ceremony, or address each of you by title before this meeting begins. You all know why I have summoned each and every one of you."

"The emperor-" One of them began. Already...

"The emperor has died." Yamamoto said sternly, not letting himself be interrupted. "Late last night, he succumbed to consumption, and drew his last breath. His lungs could no longer keep him going. And here we stand- our lord sovereign, Watanabe Hideki, protector of the four mountains, keeper of the blade and giver of rice, is gone, leaving no heirs behind."

Yamamoto took a deep breath, and leaned back, anticipating the storm of voices to come. Instantly, almost everyone started talking- peppering him with questions, arguing in between themselves, growing louder and louder. He let them keep going for a little while, let it all sink in. Everyone had known, of course- the Watanabe line had always been sickly, and the emperor had been sick for a while- and young enough that he had not married yet. If they were not very careful, this could be disastrous.

The chattering continued, and Yamamoto looked to see who were quiet at all. So far, only four people- his two confidants at his right and left, of course. He could also see daimyo Katsura Kotarou keeping quiet- although he was always a bit of a strange one. And furthest down the table sat one man, looking every bit the refined, high class nobleman in his purple silk kimono and meticulously groomed brown hair- Aizen Sousuke, daimyo of Kagana in the north. Ambitious and cruel, he had risen to his position as the sole heir to the preceding daimyo- nobody had really proven that he really _was_ the old lord's bastard, but all other heirs had mysteriously died, and he had been recognised before the law- and survived several assassination attempts, too.

Deciding that enough was enough, Yamamoto slammed his cane into the floor once, two, three times.

"Silence!" He bellowed, and soon- not soon enough- all had quieted down.

"These may be dark times," he said grimly- and he knew how to sound grim- "and I know first hand the ugliness of of a civil war. With the empire of Wan across the narrow sea just waiting for us to show weakness, this is not something we can afford. Until further notice, until an emperor can be found to replace our lost sovereign, I will rule in his stead. More than anything else, we need unity- right now. Not tomorrow, or two weeks from now, or two months or a year- _now_."

"You cannot seize the throne for yourself!" One of the lordlings spat. "That is illegal! This will not be tolerated-"

"If I wanted the throne, I would seize it." Yamamoto said coldly. "The armies obey me to a man. If I wanted to rule as emperor, you could not stop me. I do this for the good of our country- until a new emperor can be agreed upon."

"Surely you know as well as we do that that will never happen." A noblewoman further down the table said, scoffing. "In effect, you become ruler."

"Have you seen a civil war?" Yamamoto growled. "I have. I fought with our sovereign's grandfather for the throne in one of those. War is truly ugly, but nothing is uglier than countrymen fighting one another because their betters cannot agree who is better fit to rule."

There was a buzz of murmurs and angry mutters, but before it could break out into a storm of chatter again, the smooth, elegant voice of Aizen Sousuke made itself heard.

"Indeed, Yamamoto-sama." He said, smiling slightly. "Three emperors have died in your time, two of them before their time." He paused lightly, letting the insult sink in. "Nobody doubts your dedication to this country, nor the soundness of your mind, the strength of your arm, or the awesome power your authority commands. However, you must realize how this might look to the... less educated and thoughtful of our ruling class."

"Speak plainly if you have anything to say." Yamamoto said gruffly. He knew Aizen to be a competent politician- which was exactly why he could be trusted no further than he could be thrown.

"By greatest luck, I have come upon some... information that would help us from this current predicament." He said, sounding far too gentle and humble.

"Have you?" Yamamoto said, frowning deeply.

"Indeed." Aizen said, reaching into his kimono and producing a thick scroll. "This, my lords, is a family tree- specifically, a tree of the honourable Watanabe line, and all its closest relatives. Through the most amazing circumstance, I have found that by a distant relation through the beloved emperor's sister, I am the closest living relative."

"Let me see that!" Yamamoto exclaimed. Looking quietly triumphant, Aizen handed the scroll down towards Yamamoto.

"Of course, grand shogun." He said smoothly. "I would never expect such grand news to be taken seriously on word alone." He looked around at the rest of the nobles, who looked everything between incredulous, shocked, skeptical, angry, or just confused. "That there may be no doubt of the legitimacy of this document- it was handed to me by none less than the royal archive keeper, whose sacred charge, as we all know, is far above any corruption. He will gladly verify it."

Glaring at him, Yamamoto read through the scroll, tracing names until he found Aizen's. If it was a forgery, it was a damn good one- the seal of the archive-keeper was there, in mint condition.

"Heresy!" He spat, tossing the scroll down the table. "Every possible heir is always recorded- there has never, in all the emperor's ruling time, been any record of this!"

Sounding mildly surprised- how easy that sort of deception must come to a man like him, he thought- Aizen said,

"I have only known rather briefly myself, grand shogun. Naturally, I had no cause to make it public- I expected the emperor, god rest his soul, to live a long and healthy life. The responsibility of a daimyo was plenty for me- but, in the face of war I will accept this responsibility, however reluctantly."

Yamamoto felt his blood boil. That lying little...

"And it just so happens that, on this day when our sire's death is announced, you bring this... proof with you? That so conveniently, you have reason to sweep in and seize the throne?" Yamamoto kept his voice steady, he always did, but he was starting to feel angry.

"I like to prepare for any eventuality. I was summoned from my lands because our liege was severely ill- and being concerned for civil war, just like yourself, I wanted to make sure that should the worst happen, I could back my claim up."

Yamamoto made a fist, and slammed it into the table. Even at an age approaching eighty, he was still strong, and the table trembled under the strike.

"Be gone, Aizen Sousuke!" He thundered. "We will examine this document; I shall have every scholar qualified on the subject look at it- but know this: I do not take kindly to usurpers! I have delivered this country from its doom time and again, and I am not content to let some bastard take charge of it."

"That is unreasonable, shogun!" One of the lords exclaimed. "He has a claim- would you not avoid conflict so easily, when there is a way out?"

"I agree!" Another cried. "If there is a war, will it not be you who are to blame?"

"Silence!" A third cried. "The shogun is right- letting a bastard take the throne spits in the face of all tradition!"

And so, the hen's pen started anew, bickering drowning out any reasonable conversation. And from the other side of the table sat Aizen, smirking. Yamamoto suppressed his anger- Aizen had played his hand cleverly, appearing like the reasonable one.

It might well be time to rouse the armies.

* * *

><p>Carefully, Ichigo and Byakuya made their way through the woods, toward the noise. It sounded like an old man, crying for mercy- they couldn't quite make out the words- and they could hear rough, harsh voices too, and a bit of gloating laughter. Somewhere in Ichigo's head it occurred to him that they had gone rather far, and maybe they couldn't find their way back if they kept going- but it was a small part of his train of thought drowned out by his focus. The two of them were walking quietly, in silence, and as they hit the top of a hill, just behind a bush, they saw the scene.<p>

It was a small wooden cart, the kind you could pull by yourself, covered by a small roof. Goods were spread across the forest floor, little trinkets and loaves of bread, and an old man was lying down, using his arms to shield himself from his attackers- one, two, three, four men, two of which were bullying the old man, and the other two were rummaging through the cart. They were armed, two with spears, one with a short blade at his side, and one held an axe of some kind. The old man looked unhurt, for the most part, as the two bandits seemed content pushing him, laughing at his helpless state.

"Right." Byakuya said, putting his hand at his sword, "there is no cause for further delay." He stood up tall, and took a step forward. Quickly, Ichigo grabbed him by the sleeve of his kimono, and pulled him back.

"Are you nuts?" He hissed, keeping low. "There's four of them- and they're armed!"

"_You_ may be a coward, commoner," Byakuya said scornfully, "but the code of honour leaves no room for doubt. The strong must protect the weak, for it is the noble thing to do. If I turn my back on those in need, I have no place calling myself noble."

"Four versus one!" Ichigo sneered back. "That's not noble, that's stupid!"

"Stay here if you like, coward," Byakuya said coldly, slapping Ichigo's hand away, "but I will move forward. A few untrained riff-raff scumbags should present little challenge."

He stood up, and confidently walked downhill. Cursing under his breath, Ichigo hurried after him, keeping low. The forest was fairly dense, and it didn't look like they had been spotted yet.

"Did you find heart, commoner?" Byakuya said, almost bemusedly. "Do not get in my way- are you even armed?"

"Well- no," Ichigo spat, "aside from this small knife, not really. And it's not heart- I'm telling you to have some common sense!"

"I will hear no further words of retreat."

"No- if you'll do this, then at least don't walk downhill swaggering like a cock dressed in a colourful sheet! They'll see you coming-"

"You would have me strike from the shadows? If they see justice coming their way, so be it."

Ichigo muttered another curse. "Keeping down would be, er, a strategic advantage. Being nobby doesn't mean you have to be stupid about it, right?"

"And how would you do that?" Byakuya said, and Ichigo noticed he, at least, didn't sound uninterested.

"Keep your head down, and move carefully. And when you get close, you can shout your challenges or whatever nobs do before they kill somebody, but do it quick- take 'em by surprise. Tactical, yeah?"

"Well, it's a tad late, isn't it?"

The two of them, by now, had gotten almost to the foot of the hill, and the bandits hadn't yet noticed them- well, so much for urging common sense; the universe had just taken care of that for them. Byakuya dashed forward quickly, and stood behind a tall bush.

"I'll indulge you this far, commoner," he said, nodding at him, "I will make my move- and when I have their attention, you may use your dishonorable 'tactics' as you please. And _don't_ get in the way. Understood?"

"Understood," Ichigo mumbled, and took out his small knife. He looked at it like it was some alien tool- he'd used it to gut fish, carve sticks, pick his nails... and now he was supposed to do what with it? Gut people? Damn it...

With a confident swagger, Byakuya stepped out of the bushes, sword drawn and held at the ready. The bandits didn't notice him, busy as they were looting. Seeming annoyed at his dramatic entrance not being given its due, Byakuya declared, loudly and proudly,

"Halt, criminals! You will surrender now, or you will hang by the neck! Drop your weapons on the ground, and lie down on the ground! This is your _only_ warning!"

In all fairness, his delivery was quite good, confident, authoritative and loud, and the two bandits looting the cart actually dropped their spears. One of them though, the man with an axe, looked up from bullying the old man- and, seeing Byakuya, he started to laugh. The two spear-users turned around, and laughed with him, and the fourth one joined in as they picked their weapons back up.

"I mean it!" Byakuya said, holding up his sword. "You will surrender or die!"

"That's bloody rich," The axe-man- who Ichigo presumed was their leader- said, wiping a tear from his eye. "For a second there, you almost had me going- guards been hounding us for a while now. But you, some wet-behind-the-ears pup? That's a good one."

"I will give no further warning."

"Get 'im." The axe man said, pointing at Byakuya, and the two spearmen advanced, circling around Byakuya. Seeing all four distracted by the young nobleman, Ichigo decided now was as good a time as ever. It wasn't far- he could do this. Rushing from out the bush, he rammed the bandit who had been bullying the old man along with the axe-user, and knocked him over before he could react. Quickly, Ichigo got on top of him, knife in hand-

And then, he froze. Stab a knife right into a man? Just like that? There wasn't time for something like moral objection, but something in Ichigo made him stop. He'd never hurt a man, much less killed one, and doing it like this was out of his scope, out of his imagination. He'd done as much as fight with other boys, hand to hand, back at the castle- but killing was a whole other business.

He hesitated only for a second, but a second was enough, and the axe man slammed the butt of his weapon to the back of Ichigo's head, and everything went dark.

Byakuya, for his part, was holding up well enough. The two spear-users were not experienced, he could tell, and their thrusts were slow, easy to parry. He just had to wait for an opening...

And then, he felt a blade at his throat, and a hand grabbing at his hair from behind.

"You drop that fancy sword, or I'm slitting your throat. Got that, nob?"

In his mind, Byakuya swore.

"I will do no such thing, you fiend!" He hissed, but he felt a sinking feeling, and his confidence was waning quickly.

"Yes, you bloody will!" The voice said, and Byakuya felt three quick jabs to his side. Overwhelmed with pain, he bent over, and quickly the bandits had piled up on him, wrestling the sword from his hand. Cursing, Byakuya struggled against them, but to no avail. Before long, he and Ichigo both had been tied with their hands behind their back, to a young- but strong- tree.

"Oi, boss," one of the spearmen said, "this is a real shiny-looking sword. You want it?"

"That's a nob sword, you idiot," the axe-man said, "and it'll be worth thousands of kan. Even stolen, I could buy a dozen swords for this. No, we're selling this nice little piece...

"Fiend!" Byakuya cried. "That blade has been passed down from one generation to the next in the Kuchiki house- you have no right to it!"

"Then I bet it would sell real nice, kiddo," The bandit leader said, grinning, as he inspected the sword.

"Villains! Dishonorable cowards! Scum!" Byakuya spat angrily. The bandit just grinned wider, amused at his helpless rage.

"Great idea, this," Ichigo murmured, coming to. "Yes, let's go and valiantly save the day, that could _never_ go wrong..."

"Shut _up_, you commoner idiot!" Byakuya snapped. "If it is so foolish, then why are you right here with me, tied up as well? You lost without even putting up a fight!"

"I _told_ you we shouldn't have-"

"Well, ya did." The bandit leader said. "Look at the two of you, playing hero- and for what, this old trader?" He nodded to one of his men. "Rat, cut his throat."

"Sure, boss." One of the men said, and walked over to the old man. He held up his arms, pleading with him, but it did him no good- in a second's time, Rat had cut him across the throat, and the old man let out a gurgle, as blood flowed over the forest floor.

"Now, that old geezer warn't worth a dime," The leader said, grinning evilly, "but two young, strong lads? One with expensive clothes and a fancy sword? That's a better catch than anything in that shitty cart. I think I'll sell the two of you for a nice price at the next market- if you're lucky, you two can look forward to working rice fields for the rest of your life. Or maybe I'll sell pretty-boy here to some noble who likes young lads, that'd be even better." Byakuya's eyes widened, and the bandit leader started to laugh, long and hard. Ichigo cursed his fate, cursed Byakuya, cursed his own stupidity- this would be a terrible way to end a story.

"Sounds like you got a plan."

The voice came from just up the hill, casual and assertive, and Ichigo could have jumped with cheer. There was no mistaking it, he knew that one by now- Ikkaku!

It was indeed the bald man, walking into the scene with a lazy gait, casually carrying his naginata across both his shoulders, eyeing the five bandits with a fearless look.

"And who the fuck are you?" The leader said, and the five of them tensed, holding their weapons at the ready.

"Just a passer-by like yourself," Ikkaku said, walking just past Ichigo and Byakuya. He gave them a knowing look. "I don't own anything but these clothes, so I don't think I'd be worth your time. I like your plan, though- two boys like these would pay you a lotta money, and a man's got to have ambition."

"Fiend," Byakuya spat. Ichigo frowned. What was he doing? Wasn't he going to help them?

"I think you better fuck off now, and we won't gut you like a pig," The leader said. "I'm in a good mood- nice catch today, so I'll let you off. Go on- fuck off."

"See, I can't do that," Ikkaku said, and stood facing all five of them. Slowly and demonstratively, he slid off the upper part of his kimono, letting it hang free by its belt, showing off his naked torso. Ichigo hadn't noticed it before; next to Kenpachi Ikkaku looked rather small (as did anyone, really), but he was quite muscular. Lean, but with thick, strong arms, a well toned chest, and scars- lots of scars, running up his arms, his chest, his gut. Still holding his naginata lazily, he looked at the five bandits, with an ugly frown.

"These boys ain't yours to sell. So I'm wonderin' if I'm gonna have a problem here."

"Who the fuck are you?" The leader spat.

"Their daddy," Ikkaku lied casually, "and I gotta get 'em home for bed time, or the wife'll have my hide. So what's it gonna be?"

The leader spat on the ground. "Five of us, one of you. Fuck off."

Ikkaku grinned, and he looked downright demonic. "Look at you, scared shitless- if you thought you could do it, you'd have told your little pissants to kill me already."

"Wanna try it?" He growled back.

"Hey you, the half-sword," Ikkaku said, ignoring him and pointing to the man who had snuck up on Byakuya from behind, "yeah, you."

"Me?" The bandit said, sounding dumbfounded.

"You ever killed anybody?"

"Yeah-"

"I just bet you have. You looked like a real tough guy, cutting that old geezer."

"Uh..." The bandit said, sounding confused, looking at his sword.

"Ever held a man's guts in your hands?" Ikkaku said cheerfully.

"Uh-"

"'Cos I have. It's like holding a bunch of big, slippery noodles. That are covered in blood. Battles are funny like that. One moment it's you, a sword, and a man trying to kill you, and the next you've opened up his belly and you're holding his innards like it's nothing. All these vital things, right there in your hands... and it's 'cause you were faster than him."

"What're you on about?" The leader growled. Ikkaku continued to ignore him.

"War does that to you- a bit of carnage gets so common you don't think twice about it. Like how I could pop your eyeballs with my thumb and hear you scream, and don't think twice about it." He casually pointed his spear at the group. "You lot ain't soldiers, are ya? Some soldiers do turn rogue, 'cause the lords don't give a shit about you once the war's won, but you're just the typical shits who got hold of a weapon and thought that made you badasses. You think you're bad, do ya? Well, I'll tell you what's bad- killin' twenty men in a day, and then goin' on to butcher a whole village with your mates 'cos they've been supplying the enemy with food, _that_ is bad. You ever done that?"

"You listen here-" The leader began angrily, pointing at Ikkaku with his axe.

"No, _you_ listen." Ikkaku said viciously. "It's five of you and one of me, but I ain't some dumb punk like these two. Five's enough that you could surround me, get a lucky hit in when I'm distracted- but I guaran-fucking_-tee_ you I'll kill at least four of you before I'm down. And I'm starting with you, axe boy. You got nice balls- let's see how much you like 'em when I shove my spear through 'em."

"You think we're just gonna let go of our catch?" One of the bandits spat.

"Boy, you're going to let go of it, and then you're gonna start running, 'cos if you don't I'll find my mates- and they're worse than I am. Here's my deal for you- the five of you get the fuck out now, or I'm going to strangle you with your own guts. I lived through fifteen years of war, I lived through Katagahara, and I sure as shit don't feel afraid of five country bumpkins who think they're tough 'cause they can kill old men and push around dumb greenhorns."

The bandits looked uncertain, almost fearful, and looked to their leaders. The axe-wielder looked strange too, angry, hesitant, holding up his axe but not quite doing anything with it.

"Like I said, five on one could probably take me," Ikkaku said darkly, "but do you wanna take the chance on being the one lucky shit who gets to live? Any time you're ready." He took a stance, flexed his muscles, and held his spear at the ready.

"God damn it..." The boss spat frustratedly, "Boys, this dumb shit ain't worth our time. We got uh, better things to do anyway. We're leavin'."

With that, he turned around, and looking relieved, so did his companions. Ikkaku kept his stance until they were well out of sight, then hurried over to Ichigo and Byakuya, cutting them loose. Quickly, Byakuya ran over to get his sword, with a desperate vigour, while Ichigo just rubbed his wrists.

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"You ain't gonna be thankful when Kenpachi hears about this." Ikkaku said. "Yumichika told me to go check on ya, 'cause you're a couple of idiots and the woods ain't safe. Figured he was just bein' fussy, but I guess you two really _are_ dumber than two rocks. Let's go."

"Y-yeah," Ichigo murmured, getting to his feet and grabbing his knife.

"You too, noble boy." Ikkaku said, pointing at Byakuya. Together, the three of them headed back."

"...are you mad?" Ichigo asked.

"Mad?" Ikkaku snorted. "Go get yourself killed all you like- but me havin' to risk my life for ya, that ain't something I appreciate."

"But surely you could have killed them all?" Byakuya said, sounding shaken from the ordeal. "You are a veteran, are you not?"

"You know how you make veteran?" Ikkaku said coldly. "By not taking fights you don't have to. By not going up against the odds. I wasn't kidding- five on one, those _are_ shitty odds, and you were lucky those dumbasses were cowards. After all I been through, dying in the middle of nowhere to some dumb punks would have been a fucked up end. All 'cause the two of you are too dumb to-" He stopped himself.

"No, I ain't gonna lecture ya. I'll leave that one to the big man."

Ichigo swallowed, and so did Byakuya. This wasn't going to be fun.

* * *

><p>"So you're tellin' me," Kenpachi said, "that these two are not <em>as dumb<em> as they seem, but actually much, much dumber?"

"Sure seems that way." Ikkaku said, standing leaned against a tree.

They were back at the makeshift camp, and Byakuya and Ichigo stood before Kenpachi, who was standing tall in the evening light, with a foul look on his face. Ikkaku had explained every last bit to Kenpachi, with details added by the two miserable young men, and Kenpachi's face had turned more and more forebodingly neutral with every word.

"I tell you to get out, and what do you do? Make an effort to find trouble."

"We had to help!" Byakuya said urgently. "As a man of honour-"

"You fucking idiot!" Kenpachi sneered, and backhanded him. Byakuya fell over, face first onto the ground. "You ain't a 'man of honour', you're a stupid little boy who tries to pretend he is! It takes a real god damn moron to charge into a fight without knowing what he's up against, without backup, outnumbered and alone!"

"I-"

"You ever killed a man, _boy_?" Kenpachi spat.

"I don't see-"

"_Answer._" Kenpachi's tone left no room for disagreement.

"...no." Byakuya mumbled. "But I was trained by the finest-"

"You know shit." Kenpachi spat on the ground. "You know how to hold a sword, and cut at a straw dummy. Until you actually done some real combat, you might as well be a god damn toddler. And somehow, you're arrogant enough to think you can take five men."

"I saw only four!" Byakuya protested. "The cowards used trickery- had they fought honourably-"

"And look at how that turned out. You getting taken down without so much as drawing blood!"

"Honour is the core of what it means to be a samurai!" Byakuya snapped. "Without it, I would be a mere thug with a blade!"

There was a look of disgust on Kenpachi's face. "Let me tell you about 'honour', boy. You know what they call 'honourable' samurai on the front?" Before Byakuya had a chance to reply, he continued, "They call 'em idiots, plain and simple. Sure, they put on a show for their lords, but the samurai who want to live learn to fight dirty fast, 'cause if they don't then they're just making themselves weaker for no good reason. And all that shit about protecting? I done seen many soldiers without a title, and many with one, and all of them were thieving, murdering rapists if there was an enemy village nearby. Hell, it didn't have to be an enemy village!"

"You lie!"

Kenpachi bent over, getting in Byakuya's face. "You wake up, _boy_. 'Honour' is bullshit lords made up so they can say it's righteous when they murder their enemies. And in a fight, you do whatever it takes to win, or you're next. War's an ugly business, and it breeds ugly people. End of!"

Byakuya looked like he might retort, but kept quiet, looking defeated. Whether he believed Kenpachi's words, or whether he just didn't want to be smacked another time, Ichigo didn't know. He felt a sinking feeling as Kenpachi turned to face him.

"And what're you lookin' so damned pleased about?" Kenpachi growled. Ichigo was anything but pleased, and he was sure he looked the part to, but not visualizing his abject terror was apparently enough.

"I'm not!" Ichigo said, holding his hands up desperately. "I just-"

"You got into a fight with two people, and even though you got so damn lucky you got a shot at one, you froze. With that fucking toothpick of a knife! That one, right there," Kenpachi said, pointing at Byakuya, who was still sitting on the forest floor, "is an idiot, but at least he got a sword. At least he knows the basic idea is to stick the pointy end at people to make 'em die. What the hell do you know, you little shit-for-brains?"

"Nothing! I know nothing!"

"You're damn right you know nothing." Kenpachi growled, and with a viciously quick move he backhanded Ichigo too. The impact of the blow was heavy, and Ichigo fell over. He got up in a sitting position, holding a hand over his cheek.

"See, young lord idiot over there's a nob, which means somebody and everybody told him his shit smells better than everybody else's from when he was a toddler. He's an idiot 'cause he don't know any better. But you _ain't_ an inbred idiot taught to be especially idiotic, so I'm gonna have to guess you made a special effort to be stupid. Is that right?"

"Should we have let them just do what they wanted, then? They were robbing that old man-"

"God damn _heroes._" Kenpachi growled. "And look at the two of you- if Ikkaku hadn't been there, you'd be dead or worse. I hate people who play hero- it's a surefire way to get yourself killed, without thanks or appreciation. And you can't even do that, because you're a peasant who don't know the first thing about the world, about swordfigting, about anything. What happened when you tried playing hero? You got captured easy, and the old man got killed off. If you'd had the sense to back off, he'd still have died, except we wouldn't have had to deal with your mess."

"And if people suffer, we just look the other way?"

"People suffering who're too piss weak to do anything about it deserve all they get." Seeing the look in Ichigo's eye, he added,

"I don't want to hear it. Not another word. You two are equals- equally stupid, equally troublesome, and I'm thinkin' the biggest fool of all is me- for putting up with you."

Ichigo kept quiet, but glared angrily.

"I swear, the two of you..." Kenpachi mumbled angrily, "You need to learn, all right- somebody needs to teach you how to use a sword, for one..."

Muttering angrily to himself, he walked off a bit, and sat himself down under a tree.

"Don't worry, Ichi, Byakkun," Yachiru said cheerily, walking up to them, "Ken-chan likes you."

"That is a strange way of showing appreciation." Byakuya said, rubbing his cheek, getting to his feet.

"I've seen him mad. He was just a bit annoyed now." Yachiru nodded enthusiastically, and happily ran over to Kenpachi.

"She got a point there," Ikkaku said.

"Does she now?" Ichigo said sourly, still feeling the burn from the backhand he'd taken.

"We've seen him angry. As in angry for real," Yumichika said, sighing, "and believe me, you wouldn't like him angry. When he gets angry, a pack of demons would run for their lives."

"And what was this, then?"

"Learning common sense." Ikkaku said dryly.

Ichigo groaned. Common sense was much more painful than he had expected.


End file.
